Gallimaufry

Modern Medicine

First some news from the world of Modern Medicine

Tea continues accumulating positive benefits.  However, in addition to the usual caveats on news of this kind, this was not a controlled double blind study so there is probably correlation but not necessarily causation.  If there is a valid link though, I'm set.  I LIVE on tea!

On the other hand, eating lots of fiber seems not  to protect against colo-rectal cancer after all. However, fiber is still good for your heart and to lower risk of diabetes so eat more raw fruits, vegetables, and whole grains!

On to more personal medical news (or; it's all about ME):

I scored very high on an adult ADD inventory on my last visit to the neuropharmacologist.  We'll discuss it more on my next visit (tomorrow), but in the meantime,  I'd like to hear from other adult ADDers out there.  How were you diagnosed?  Did you suffer from depression too?  How do you treat it medically?  What non medical things can one do to alleviate the problems?

As you know, Bob, I have very bad neurochemistry (bad brain!  no doughnut!).  The meds have pooped out again and I've gone off Effexor completely (fortunately no withdrawal symptoms!) and have changed to Cymbalta.  While I'm doing better than I was, say August-October, I'm still not feeling really spiffy.  So we've added an atypical antipsychotic to the mix.  These are often used as mood stabilizers for bipolor disorder (which I have as bipolar II; no full blown mania).  The one I'm taking is a very new one called Abilify.  I'd be interested in hearing from other Abilify users.  I'm having trouble sleeping and suffering from some rather bizarre nausea (it only happens when I eat) and I'm wondering if anyone has had these side effects from taking the drug.  It's so new there isn't much known about side effects in the wild  We added it because it inhibits dopamine reuptake.  The Cymbalta is working on seritonin and norephinephrine reuptake so dopamine sounded like the thing to try next.  I wonder how an adult ADD diagnosis would affect all this other neurochemistry.  Sigh.  Man I wish I had a brain that worked.

It's a Competition!

And it's for a good cause.  If you read the law blogs at all you have by now, no doubt, heard of Cory Maye.  In as clear a case of racism and ugliness as you can find, he's being railroaded for having shot an intruder who kicked in his door in the middle of the night.  Maye thought he was protecting himself and his 18 month old child.  Unfortunately for him, the guy he shot was the police chief's son.  Who was white.  Cory Maye is black, and is now on death row.  There are more details here, here, and here.

So what can you do to help?  And where does the competition come in?  Battlepanda says

UPDATE: As both Glenn Reynolds and Mark Kleiman pointed out, this is such an unambiguous outrage that both the left and the right side of the blogisphere should stand united and work to make this man's story known. On second thought, to the heck with working together. Let's make this a competition. I am going to keep track of right and left wing blogs mentioning the Cory Maye to see which side is doing a better job. Mainly, I'll be using Technorati, but please send me links if you see that I've missed anyone.

So go thou and do likewise!

New Orleans

New Orleans is a very special place to me; it's one of the 2 places on earth I call the home of my heart.  The French Quarter is one of the few places where I feel completely relaxed, at home so to speak.  And may God (the one I don't believe in) damn the Bush administration to hell.  It doesn't matter whether it's incompetence, not caring, or cold nutwing political calculation.  They're killing NOLA and nothing can excuse it.

They'd have you believe differently of course. Shrub himself said:

And tonight I also offer this pledge of the American people: Throughout the area hit by the hurricane, we will do what it takes, we will stay as long as it takes, to help citizens rebuild their communities and their lives. And all who question the future of the Crescent City need to know there is no way to imagine America without New Orleans, and this great city will rise again.

But we know what a liar the little shit is now.  Ecomiums like this merely mean you're doomed.  Even the NYT can no longer ignore it.  (via Body and Soul)

Web Gleanings

I am Bemused:   Model/Unix programmer tries to update the world of fashion.

I am Amused:  Enhance your Airport's sensitivity using inexpensive kitchen gadget!

I am Excited:  A new mammal found in Borneo.  (Another reason to Save the Rain Forest)

I am Scared and Angry:  Read it all.

I am Pleased:  Delay money laundering charges stick.  And the Republicans have already started backstabbing and jockeying for position in next month's House Leadership race.

I am Fed Up:  War plan written by pollster.

ETA:  I am Speechless:  via Jordin who got it from BoingBoing